Coupler



Sept. 11, 1945. E. P. KINNE ML 2,384,748

' COUPLER Filed Oct. 273,- 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f 102 OQ {Nl/E NTORS. I/ (d/naad Patented Sept. 11, 1945 COUPLER Edmund P. Kinne and Frank H. Kayler, Alliance, Ohio, assignors to American Steel Foundries, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New Jersey Application October 23, 1943, Serial No. 507,382

(Cl. Z13- 104) 13 Claims.

Our invention relates to a well known type of tight look industrial coupler, described in detail in United States Patent 2,271,770, issued February 3, 1942, in the name of Edmund P. Kinne and United States Patent 2,271,839, issued February3, 1942, in the name of Frank H. Kayler, and is concerned particularly with auxiliary unlocking means for such a type of coupler.

In a coupler of this general description, the operating arm is so designed that it may be actuated by a side pull in a manner commonly convenient where such a coupler is used. Under certain conditions, however, it may be desirable to use other means for actuating the operating arm and in order to accommodate such conditions, we have arranged cam means for engagement with the operating arm, which cam means may be utilized, when desirable, in conjunction with various means for actuation thereof. The general object of our invention, therefore, is to provide auxiliary means for actuation of the operating arm of this type of coupler, said auxiliary means being arranged to accommodate various actuating means therefor suitable for use under varying operating conditions.

Our invention comprehends an arrangement for top operation of such acoupler which may be actuated by a rearward pull as well as a bottom operation which may be actuated by a side pull and a further top operation which may be Vactuated by a lifting movement, allin conjunction with said afore-rnentioned cam.

In the drawings, l

Figure l is a fragmentary top'plan4 View of mated couplers of this type embodying our invention, a portion of the top walls of said couplers being cut away for purposes of illustration.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional View through the mated couplers illustrated in Figure 1, the top walls being entirely cut away.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view through the mated couplers illustrated in Figure 1, the section being taken substantially in the transverse vertical planes indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a further sectional View comparable to that of Figure 3 but taken in the vertical transverse plane approximately indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view comparable,to Figure 2 with the top walls of the mating couplers cut away to illustrate a modied form of cam arrangement.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view through the top wall of one of the couplers illustrated in Figure 5, the section being taken in the vertical diagonal plane adjacent and approximately parallel to the cam actuating lever.

Describing our novel structure in detail, and referring rst to the modifications illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, it may be observed that mating couplers 2 and 4 are in locked engagement with each other with the locking faces of the respective locks abutting each other as at 6. The positions of the various locking parts of each coupler are well shown in the sectional view of Figure 3 wherein it may be noted that each lock 8 has an associated operating arm I0 pivotally connected thereto as at I2, said operating arm having a spring seat I4 against which may abut as at I6 the associated compression spring I8, said compression spring surrounding the operating arm and having its opposite end seated as at 20 against the side wall 22 of the nose portion of the associated coupler, said nose portion being received within the head 24 of the mating coupler. With the parts in the locked position as illustrated in Figure 3, each operating arm I0 is afforded an anticreep as at 26 by engagement of a shoulder on the operating arm with an abutment on the side wall of the mating coupler head. It will be understood that under ordinary conditions, unlocking will be effected by lifting the end of the operating arm IU in order to clear the shoulder ,engagement at 2E and withdrawing it suiciently to engage the lockset (Figure 4), thus rotating one lock to its lockset position.

As well shown in Figures 1 and 2, each of the mating couplers is aorded a cam member 23 pivotally mounted as at 30 in the associated coupler head, each cam 28 comprising an operating arm 3| (Figure 2) terminating in a nger 32 (Figures 3 and 4) which may engage as at 34 the lower edge of the spring seat portion I4 of the associated operating arm. As illustrated in coupler 2 of Figure', the cam 28 may have associated therewith an L-shaped operating lever 36 keyed to said cam as at 38, and actuation of said cam by the lever 36 inthe direction of the curved arrow 4U is eiiective to move the associated operating arm l0 to the lockset position illustrated in Figure 4. It will be understood that the bearing of the-cam nger 32 as at 34 against the operating arm I0 will pivot said arm about the lock connection l 2, thus lifting the outer end of the operating arm I0 out of engagement with the anticreep shoulder at 26 and causing it to engage the lockset shoulder at 42 (Figure 4) where it will be `held in position by the compression spring I8` As illustrated in the coupler 4 of Figures 1 and 2, it may be noted that the cam 2B is afforded keyed engagement as at M with the L-shaped lever fili, which projects above the top Wall of the coupler 4 and laterally thereof, so that said lever 46 when pulled in the direction of the arrow 48 will be effective to actuate the cam 28 and position the associated lock in the lockset position of Figure 4 in manner similar `to that just described for the mating coupler. It will be understood, of course, that either the lever 36 or the lever 46 may be used with the cam 28, de;`

. means for actuating said arm comprising a cam pending upon whether a bottom operating cou-v Y pler or a top operating coupler better meets the required conditions. Y

A further modification for actuation" of such a cam as that described is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. Figure 5 shows the mated couplers |02 and IM in engagement with each otherwith the lock |06 of the coupler |02 in lockset position, the parts thereof corresponding to the positions illustrated in Figure 4 with the operating arm |08 of the coupler |62 lockset against the shoulder on the sidewall of the mating coupler |04. With the parts in this position, parting of the two couplers will cause release of the arm i0 from its lockset position in notch 42 of mating coupler due to the notch portion 42 being withdrawn from engagement with arm I0 as couplers part.

As illustrated in Figure 5, the cam ||2 differs from the cam of the previous modications in that it is afforded an auxiliary arm H4 projecting from the cammed trunnion portion IIS in a direction opposite the arm I2, Said arm ||4 affording suitable means of engagement as at ||8 (Figure 6) with the depending leg |20of the lift lever |22 which may be pivotally supported as at IZA in the top wall |26 of the coupler |02, a portion of said top wall being oset, as well illustrated in Figure 6, to form a housing for the pivoted end of said lever |22. The normal position of the lever |22 when at rest is shown in phantom lines |28, and the position of said lever when elevated to aiord the before-mentioned lockset is shown in Figure 6.

It will thus be seen that by mounting the cam in the coupler head as auxiliary means for actuating the operating arm, we are able to afford a variety of Ways for locksetting or unlocking the locking mechanism of this type of coupler. The several means for actuating such a cam, as illustrated, provide for top operation by direct upward pull or a rearward pull on the cam actuating lever, or may provide bottom operation by a side pull on the cam operating lever. It will be understood that under certain clearance conditions,

each of these respective means of operation may become necessary or desirable.

It is to be understood that we do not wish to be limited by the exact embodiments of the device shown which are merely by way of illustration and not limitation as various and other forms of the device will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

We claim:

1. In an automatic coupler, a head, a lock mounted for rotation therein; and lock operating means comprising an operating arm pivotally connected to said lock and projecting outwardly of said head for actuation thereof, auxiliary means for actuating said arm comprising a cam mounted to rotate in said head and abut said arm beneath said pivotal connection, said cam being operable to rotate said arm about said pivotal connection for disengagement of an anticreep on mounted to rotate in said head and abut said arm beneath said pivotal connection, said cam being operable to rotate said arm about said pivotal connection for disengagement of an anticreep on said arm and further operable to cause linear movement of said arm for engagement of a lockset shoulder thereon with means on an associated coupler` head.

3. In an automatic coupler, ahead having a pivoted lock and lock operating means comprising an operating arm pivotally connected thereto and projecting outwardly of said head for actuation thereof, and alternative actuating means for said arm comprising a cam mounted for rotation in said head and having a legengaging said arm and another leg angularly related to said firstmentioned leg, and a crank lever mounted on the top of said head and having a leg projecting thereinto for engagement with one of said cam legs for actuation thereof, said alternative actuating means being operable to rotate said operating arm about its pivotal connection with said lock and to apply linear movement thereto for engagement of lockset means.

4. In an automatic tight lock coupling, mating coupler heads having pivoted locks with locking faces for abutment with each other and unlocking 'means for each coupler comprising an operating arm pivotally connected to the associated lock and having a lockset shoulder for engagement with the mating coupler, and actuating means for said arm comprising a cam pivoted in the associated head and engaging said arm adjacent said lock connection, and a lever keyed to said cam and projecting outwardly of the associated head for rotation thereof.

5. In an automatic tight lock coupling, mating coupler heads having pivoted locks with locking faces for abutment with each other and unlocking means for each coupler comprising an operating arm pivotally connected to the associated lockand having a lockset shoulder for engagement with the mating coupler, and actuating means for said arm comprising a cam pivoted in the associated head and engaging said arm adjacent said lock connection, and a lever keyed to said cam and projecting beneath the associated head for rotation thereof.

6. In an automatic tight lock coupling, mating coupler heads having pivoted locks with locking faces for abutment with each other and unlockjing means for each coupler comprising an operan operating arm pivotally connected thereto and projecting outwardly of said head for actuation thereof, and alternative actuating means for said arm comprising a cam mounted for rotation in said head and having a leg engaging said arm and another leg angularly related to said rstmentioned leg, and means mounted on said head for engagement with said angular leg for rotation of said cam and movement of said arm, said alternative actuating means being operable t0 rotate said arm about its pivotal connection with said lock to disengage an anticreep therefrom, and further operable to apply linear movement to said arm for engagement of lockset means.

8. In an automatic coupler, a coupler head, a rotatable lock mounted therein, an operating arm pivoted to said lock and projecting outwardly of said head for actuation thereof, and alternative actuating means for said arm comprising a cam pivoted in said head and engaging said arm adjacent its connection with said lock, engagement of said cam with said arm being operative to rotate said arm about its connection with said lock for elevation of the projecting end thereof, and further operative to cause linear movement of said arm for engagement of lockset means on an associated coupler head.

9. In an -automatic tight lock coupling, mating coupler heads having pivoted locks with locking faces for abutment with each other and unlocking means for each coupler comprising an operating arm pivotally connected to the associated lock and having a lockset shoulder for engagement with the mating coupler, and actuating means for said arm comprising a cam pivoted in the associated head and engageable with said arm adjacent said lock connection, for rotation thereof about its pivotal connection with the associated lock to disengage said arm from an anticreep on the associated coupler, said cam being further operable to move said arm linearly and cause its engagement With lockset means on the mating coupler head.

10. In an automatic coupler, a head, a lock mounted for rotation therein, and lock operating means comprising an operating arm pivotally connected to said lock and projecting outwardly of said head for actuation thereof, and auxiliary means for actuating said arm comprising a cam mounted to rotate in said head and abut said arm beneath said pivotal connection to cause rotation of said arm about said pivotal connection and to further cause linear movement of said arm for engagement of lockset means on an associated coupler head, and lever means keyed to said cam and projecting outwardly of said head for operation thereof.

1l. In an automatic coupler, a coupler head, a lock pivoted therein, lock actuating means comprising an operating arm pivotally connected to said lock and projecting outwardly of said head for actuation thereof, and auxiliary actuating means for said arm comprising a cam mounted in said head and engageable with said arm beneath said pivotal connection to said lock to cause elevation of said outwardly projecting portion of said arm for disengagement of anticreep means, said cam being further operable to apply linear movement to said operating arm and-cause engagement of lockset means on an associated coupler head.

12. In an automatic coupler, a head, a lock mounted for rotation therein, and lock operating means comprising an operating arm pivotally connected to said lock and projecting outwardly of said head for actuation thereof, and auxiliary means for actuating said arm comprising a cam mounted to rotate in said head and actuate said arm by engagement therewith beneath said pivotal connection, said actuation disengaging said arm from anticreepmeans on said head, and said auxiliary means being further operable to cause linear movement of said arm for engagement with lockset means on an associated coupler head.

13. In an automatic coupler, a coupler head, a rotatable lock mounted therein, an operating arm pivoted to said lock and projecting outwardly of said head for actuation thereof, and alternative actuating means for said arm comprising a cam pivoted in said head and engaging said arm adjacent its connection with said lock, said cam being operable to rotate said arm about its pivotal connection with said lock to elevate the remote end thereof for disengagement of anticreep means on said head, and further operable to move said arm for engagement of lockset means on an associated head.

EDMUND P. KINNE. FRANK H. KAYLER. 

